


a crack in the doll house

by littlelooneyluna



Category: Emmerdale, robron
Genre: Accidents, Angst, Angst and Feels, M/M, daddy!Robron, parenting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-01
Updated: 2017-06-01
Packaged: 2018-11-07 16:02:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 776
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11062371
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littlelooneyluna/pseuds/littlelooneyluna
Summary: after their daughter is involved in an accident, robert is haunted by his past mistakes.





	a crack in the doll house

**Author's Note:**

> written as a tumblr prompt a while ago, enjoy the angst ;)

Aaron's trying to be calm, keeps trying to stay calm and rational and stop himself from acting out, going mad but he can't because Robert's not telling him anything, he's just sitting there, holding Anni's purple coat and blinking.

"Think." Aaron says quickly, paces the small room. "Think Robert!" He cries, doesn't know what to say to Robert because they're in a hospital family room and their little girl is hurt.

"I - yeah the car was - I dunno if she just - just ran out, it was so quick Aaron." Robert's shaking, keeps thinking about how close it could have been, if the car hadn't stopped, if it had ploughed straight into her and instead of just knocking her down.

  _If. If. If._

 "Why weren't you _watchin_ ' her?" Aaron shouts, "She's six years old, for _God's_ sake Robert." He hisses, shakes his head as Robert just sits there, shock racing through him and making him turn to stone.

Then he remembers, it's like a bout of pain stabs through him and he remembers why he wasn't paying attention to his own little girl.

"We were by the swings and - I heard her voice, I heard Rebecca calling me and I turned -"

Aaron's blood runs cold, a hand suffocates his mouth and he shakes his head as tears roll down his face. "Her. _Her_." He spits out, years have gone by and yet she still hangs around like a bad smell.

Robert ducks his head. "I'm sorry." He says, feels like he'll always be haunted by the way he screamed for Anni to stop running into the road, the way Rebecca had phoned the ambulance as he wondered if he should move his daughter or not.

"After _everything_ she's done to our family, you stop paying attention to our little girl for _her_." Aaron comes closer to Robert. "Are you _mad_?" He barks and then Robert gets up, starts crying, gripping hold of Aaron's hoodie.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry I know it's my fault, I know it's me, I know it's 'cause I deserved it! I'm sorry." Robert's crying, shuddering, feeling like he can't breathe.

Aaron's eyes begin to water and he pushes Robert away in shock. "Deserved it?" He says, he's confused, doesn't understand at all.

Robert blinks, feels like he's opening an old wound. "Bex's lost the baby because of me." He says, all those years ago, Billy, that's what she wanted to call the baby apparently, that's what she screamed at him after she'd lost it. The baby which wasn't even _his_.

Aaron's stunned, doesn't speak, can't.

"I kept _pushing_ , and then she lost it." Robert blows out softly. "So this is payback."

Aaron can't believe what's he's hearing, wants to slap Robert round the face yet hug him at the same time. "How sick are you?" He growls, decides that Robert bringing up Billy right now is the worst thing he could have done.

Robert's lost for words, just stands there, grips hold of Anni's coat harder and blows out harsh breathes.

"I'm sorry." Robert says finally, "Aaron, I'm sorry."

" _Stop apologising_." Aaron fires, "Doesn't mean anything now does it?" He says, "It never does."

Robert looks hurt by that and gulps hard. "I - didn't know this would happen. I just - I'm awful I know, I _hate_ myself Aaron but -"

Aaron looks up at Robert.

"For a fucking second I thought she was d-" he can't even say it and then suddenly Aaron's pulling him into his arms and he's letting Robert shake all over, bury his head into Aaron's chest. "Don't hate me, don't hate me _please_."

Aaron doesn't, _can't_. He's tried that before, several times, failed and failed. "I don't, of course I don't - I'm sorry."  
He pulls away, rubs at Robert's face and wipes the tears away. "I'm sorry for shouting, I'm sorry."

The door swings open and a nurse comes in, smiles warmly. "She's hurt her arm, we think it might be strained but it's definitely not broken."

Aaron blows out a long sigh of relief and shudders. "Thank God." He says, rubs at Robert's arms.

"She just wants her daddies." The nurse explains, smiles and then disappears out of the room.

"You uh - you go first." Robert says, ducks his head and then pulls away from Aaron.

Aaron tightens his grip on Robert's arm. "You're not running from her, she needs her daddy."

Robert winces, "She doesn't need me."

Aaron delicately kisses Robert's forehead. "She does, and I do, and I'm sorry."

Robert shudders, "I'm sorry too." He says, "I'm _sorry_."

Aaron nods his head, "I know." He whispers before guiding Robert out towards the hospital ward, towards Annie.

 

 


End file.
